


Nothing More Perfect

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: Birthday, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Longing, Love Confessions, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2014-11-18
Packaged: 2018-02-26 05:16:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2639483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After two months apart, all Haru knows is that he's in love with Makoto Tachibana and has been for a very long time. However, confessing to him is turning out to be more difficult than it seems.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing More Perfect

Nothing More Perfect

 

Haru bit his lip as he stared at the notice board hanging from the ceiling of the air port.

 

_16:00 Iwatobi: DELAYED_

 

Normally Haru would have sighed, found somewhere to make himself comfortable and pass by the hours on his phone or simply people watching.

 

Today however, worry began to fill his gut.

 

_Why today, why not any other day?_ He thought to himself bitterly as he trudged away from the notice board and towards the nearest coffee shop, pulling his phone out of his pocket and quickly tapped out a text.

 

**To: Nagisa**

**17/11/14 10:45 AM**

 

**Flight delayed. Says for an hour but could be longer. Don't wait for me.**

 

**From: Nagisa**

**17/11/14 10:47 AM**

 

**awww nuu, haru-chan! You can't miss the party!**

 

**To: Nagisa**

** 17/11/14 10:4 8 AM **

 

**I won't.**

 

Haru locked his phone and slid it back into his pocket,  chancing another glance at the notice board in hopes that maybe he'd been wrong the first time he looked at it. 

 

_DELAYED._

 

Naturally, he hadn't been.

 

He sighed, ordered a coffee without even thinking about before he remembered it wasn't him who liked coffee but Makoto. Makoto who would drink it in his kitchen before they left for school, who'd smile when he came in, his hair still wet from the bath.

 

“ _Come on, Haru-chan,”_ he'd say softly.

 

Haru shook his head. Now really wasn't the time for such thoughts.

 

 

If Haru was correct (and he knew he was since he'd been counting the days), it had been just over two months since he'd seen Makoto. Just over two months too long. With a twinge in his heart, he could remember the hollow smile on Makoto's face the day Haru left for what his coach classed as 'the only way you'll ever see an Olympic pool' (not including his trip to Australia with Rin). For nine weeks, Haru had undertaken an extensive and intense training programme in Hokkaido, miles away from Makoto in Tokyo. For nine weeks, Haru had missed Makoto more than he could ever express.

 

It wasn't like how he missed Nagisa, Rei and Rin after leaving Iwatobi. This was a desperate longing, for warm smiles and soft 'Haru-chan's, to see Makoto's face as he slept with his mouth slightly open (too often Haru had let himself into Makoto's apartment only to find him passed out on the sofa) or the raw delight on his face as he watched Haru playing with the cat (or Iwatobi-chan) who had taken to 'breaking in' to Makoto's apartment. Everything, he missed everything. He missed the way he'd sometimes catch Makoto staring at him, his eyes glazed over and Haru could tell his mind was spinning with thoughts and ideas.

 

Those looks that would make Haru's heart beat faster and his cheeks turn pink.

 

But then it had always been that way. Makoto always made Haru feel things he didn't understand.

 

Until now.

 

After two months, Haru knew. He understood. He knew his feelings went beyond platonic love for his childhood friend.

 

Without realising it, he had been hopelessly in love with Makoto without even realising it, for how long Haru didn't know. Maybe he always had been. Since the first time he saw those bright green eyes looking at him when they were only children, he knew all he wanted was for Makoto to look at him like that forever.

 

Even then, it had taken a month away from Makoto for Haru to realise what it was he was feeling. The feeling like he was missing an arm, the way his heart jumped when he saw Makoto calling him on Skype or even a simple text from him appearing on his phone. The dry mouth he'd get when he'd see Makoto waiting for him at the train station on the few weekends he'd been able to return to Tokyo and see him. It was so obvious now and Haru couldn't help but curse himself for taking so long to realise what had always been there.

 

The only problem was now he knew, he had to tell him. Tell Makoto that he was desperately in love with him. Change everything.

 

It was terrifying yet the idea was also exhilarating. The idea of being introduced to Makoto's friends as his boyfriend. Holding Makoto's hand as they walked to their favourite Ramen place. Being held in his strong arms every night.

 

It was all Haru wanted.

 

After many (obtrusive) texts from Nagisa after telling him, his plan was put into action. Confessing over Skype felt all wrong and Haru wanted to be able to stay with Makoto and relish anything that might come of his confession afterwards, so he knew he'd have to wait until he'd finished his course and returned to Tokyo, to Makoto, to tell the green-eyed boy anything.

 

So he spent the next months waiting in agony. He felt like he was going to burst as he marked off each day off his calender until the day of his return: Makoto's birthday.

 

Nagisa, after hearing Makoto would be in Iwatobi for a few days over his birthday period to see his family, immediately commandeered Haru's empty home for a birthday party 'like no other'. Before long it was confirmed that Haru and Rin would be there for the party too, Haru making the journey from Hokkaido and Rin from Australia.

 

And Haru knew that would be the time. That would be when he'd finally tell Makoto how he felt.

 

But now he was sat in the busy airport, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for a plane that continued to be delayed. He glanced at the time on his phone again, ignoring the barrage of panicked texts from Nagisa. Makoto's party started in two hours and Haru's flight would take three, if it would ever actually arrive.

 

He was guaranteed to be late now.

 

He groaned, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. Of course this would happen. Fate had a habit of deliberately making things hard for Haru anyway.

 

 

By the time Rin arrived at the Nanase residence (though he supposed an empty house couldn't be called a residence) with Nitori and Sousuke, the 'party' was in full swing thanks to Nagisa.

 

When the door opened, he was greeted by an enthusiastic if slightly dazed Makoto.

 

“Rin! Sousuke, Nitori! It's great to see all of you! Come in,” Makoto moved aside to let them in.

 

“Happy Birthday, Tachibana-san!” Nitori greeted him, smiling sweetly.

 

Rin rolled his eyes. “Don't be such a suck up, Ai.”

 

Nitori turned his smile on him, holding onto his arm. “Don't be so grumpy Senpai, after all you were the one who couldn't sit still in the car.”

 

Sousuke scoffed as Rin's cheeks turned red, shoving three presents from each of them into Makoto's arms as the now nineteen year old laughed kindly, patting Rin on the back as he passed by him.

 

“Rin-chan!” Nagisa exclaimed as the three boys entered the living room, or as Nagisa put it 'designated party area'. The room had been covered in banners and balloons and the table in the centre of the room was covered in food ranging from pizza to birthday cake and was surrounded by presents and many brightly coloured drinks Rin was pretty sure Nagisa had added dire amounts of alcohol too. There was even a karaoke machine set up in the corner, though how Nagisa had managed that no one was sure.

 

It was probably the best idea to keep Nitori away from them. He and Nagisa had a habit of ending up heavily cuddling when both drunk.

 

In the room there was also Nagisa himself, Rei, Gou, Seijuuro, Momotarou and Kisumi, but no sign of Haru.

 

“Yo, Matsuoka!” Seijuuro waved at him, his other arm around Gou.

 

Rin groaned. “Can you two not?”

 

Gou rolled her eyes. “Don't be silly, we're barely doing anything.”

 

Rin opened his mouth but Nitori gave him a warning tug on his arm.

 

Before long they found themselves sat around the table, eating and reminiscing about Makoto's past birthdays.

 

“Hey, Rei-chan, Rei-chan, do you remember that time we went to that ice cream parlour for Mako-chan's eighteenth? And they had that rainbow ice cream! And I ate, like, ten bowls!”

 

Rei paled. “Yes. I also remember the consequences.”

 

Rin shook his head. “You threw up on him didn't you?”

 

Nagisa giggled. “Rei-chan didn't mind!”

 

Makoto rolled his eyes, smiling fondly though he seemed distracted, constantly checking his phone. Rin was pretty certain it had to do with Haru's absence. Where was mackerel boy anyway?

 

Rather than sitting around and avoiding the issue, he decided to take some kind of action.

 

“Hey, Tachibana, I'll help you clear some of this mess up,” Rin offered, slightly forcefully, gesturing to the piles of empty plates, mainly building up in front of Nagisa.

 

“Oh! Thanks, Rin!” Makoto stood up and Rin followed, each of them filling their arms with plates and rejecting offers of help from everyone but Nagisa who was too busy focusing on his two slices of pepperoni pizza to bother asking.

 

Once in the kitchen, Rin decided there was no point in slipping into the topic and was about to ask right out when...

 

“Rin, do you know where Haru is?” Makoto blurted out.

 

Rin stared at him for a few seconds. “Wait you don't know?”

 

Makoto shook his head, sighing. “He was meant to be here before everyone else but I haven't even heard from him.”

 

Rin pulled a face. “You know how bad he is at communication. He's probably just running late and forgot that you might want to know.”

 

Makoto sighed. “I was hoping tonight...”

 

Rin dumped his and Makoto's dishes in the sink, waiting for him to finish but Makoto seemed to be miles away.

 

“Makoto?”

 

Makoto shook his head. “I thought tonight could be the night I finally tell him,” he said softly.

 

Rin's eyes widened in understanding.

 

They'd all known, everyone but Haru anyway, how Makoto had felt since he came out before leaving for university. Before then even.

 

For God knows how long, Makoto Tachibana had been hopelessly in love with Haruka Nanase.

 

Rin laughed and clapping Makoto on the back. “About time!”

 

Makoto smiled weakly. “Honestly, I can't even eat I'm so worried about what he'll say. What if he doesn't even show up?”

 

Rin rolled his eyes. “The boy's clearly crazy about you whether he knows it or not. ”

 

Makoto laughed nervously. “Haru could have anyone he wants, I doubt he's even thought about me like that before.”

 

Rin groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. “Did you not see the way he reacted when Kisumi showed up again? He was constantly sending me passive aggressive texts about it.”

 

Makoto's eyes widened. “Kisumi?”

 

Rin stared at him, flabbergasted. “Are you blind?”

 

Makoto continued to stare at him dumbfounded.

 

Even if Haru turned up, Rin wasn't sure if Makoto would even be able to say anything to him.

 

 

“Mako-chan, Mako-chan, come on, open your presents!”

 

“Nagisa-kun, don't rush him,” Rei chastised him.

 

Kisumi chuckled. “No point in waiting though, is there?”

 

Nagisa beamed at him gratefully while Sousuke raised an eyebrow at the pink haired boy.

 

“Mine first, Mako-chan, mine first!” Nagisa exclaimed.

 

Makoto smiled at Nagisa and accepted the present handed to him, wrapped in brightly coloured paper patterned with pink penguins.

 

After gently unwrapping the present (despite Nagisa's protest) he revealed a pack of what at first seemed to be pasta and some chocolate lollies. However on closer inspection they turned out to have more... phallic imagery.

 

“Uh... Nagisa, what is this?”

 

“Penis pasta! And penis chocolate! In honour of you being an out and proud homo boy now!”

 

Rin promptly choked on one of Nagisa's deadly cocktails while Rei turned to Nagisa with shock horror on his face. Both Mikoshiba brothers began chortling, Gou joining in with some badly concealed giggles as Makoto's face turned bright red.

 

“T-Thanks I think, Nagisa.”

 

Nagisa beamed at him, ignoring Rei's lecturing.

 

“So, um who's next?” Makoto asked, leaving his new food on the table as Nagisa helped himself to a chocolate penis.

 

After receiving a second-hand banjo from Sousuke (why he'd probably never know) and more normal things from the others, he came to Rin's present.

 

After a few seconds of feverish unwrapping by Nagisa, Makoto sat with two books in his lap. One named 'how to take care of your kitty' and the other 'the art of tying knots'.

 

Makoto immediately became absorbed in the pictures of fluffy kittens on the pages of the first book, but stared at the second for a few seconds before looking up at Rin.

 

“Thank you so much, Rin! I'm sure this book can help with Iwatobi-chan but... why the book on knots?” he asked with a grateful if confused voice.

 

“Well, I thought you and Haru could maybe find both books useful once you're back in Tokyo together,” Rin replied with a wink.

 

Makoto, still bewildered didn't really understand why Kisumi was nudging him and smirking, why Nitori was looking so exasperated or why Sousuke snorted.

 

 

By midnight, only Rin, Nitori, Nagisa and Rei remained, after Makoto had declined an offer to join the others in continuing celebrating in the bar where Seijuuro now worked part time. Nagisa was fast asleep in Rei's arms, sure to awake with a hangover tomorrow and Nitori was cuddled up against Rin. Makoto checked his phone last one time and sighed.

 

Still no Haru.

 

Dejected, Makoto began clearing up, declining offers of help and in less than an hour he found himself saying goodbye to his final sleepy guests.

 

“You gonna be alright, Tachibana?” Rin asked, able to see the disappointment in Makoto's eyes.

 

Makoto managed to smile but the sadness remained in his emerald eyes. “Don't worry about me, get Nitori back to Samezuka before he gets in trouble.”

 

Rin nodded, pausing, before pulling Makoto in for a brief hug.

 

Then he was alone.

 

He glanced up at the sky, wondering if Haru could see the same stars wherever he was. He sighed. His birthday was over and his chance of a romantic confession was over too. Then there were footsteps.

 

“Makoto!” he suddenly heard.

 

He whirled around and saw Haru, only a few metres away and bent over, panting,

 

“Haru-chan!” he exclaimed, full of surprise.

 

Haru straightened up, his cheeks red from the cold. “Sorry... Sorry I missed your birthday... My plane--”

 

Before Haru could say anything else, he'd been swept up in Makoto's arms.

 

“Haru, you're freezing!”

 

Haru shook his head. “Doesn't matter.”

 

Makoto shook his head. “Haru...” he paused, staring into Haru's deep blue eyes and Haru looked into his own. “We need to get you warm.”

 

Haru seemed surprised, as if expecting him to say something else, but simply nodded.

 

Makoto managed to pull himself away and led Haru inside.

 

Only half an hour later, Haru's living room was mostly clear and the sofa bed had been laid out in front of the TV. Haru was definitely warm now as he and Makoto were nestled under a layer of blankets and cushions, watching Makoto's favourite movie, The Aristocats. Makoto tried to argue, pointing out that he was probably too old for it now anyway but Haru ignored him.

 

This was their tradition after all. Every year on each of birthdays, they would always do this after they'd finished celebrating. They would curl up together and always watch this movie. The knew it word for word by now and could sing all the songs.

 

This time though, there was clear tension.

 

Everytime their feet brushed together Haru would jolt and Makoto would quickly pull away.

 

Makoto would find himself staring at Haru for long periods of time, until the lithe boy would look over and Makoto would remember himself, his cheeks burning as he look away so fast his neck clicked.

 

Both of them had so much they wanted to say but now they could, they didn't know how.

 

“Haru-chan.”

 

“Makoto.”

 

They both spoke at the same time and then stopped staring at each other.

 

“You first,” Makoto offered and Haru nodded.

 

Not sure where to start, Haru paused. Then,

 

“I missed you.”

 

“Haru...” Makoto's eyes widened. Haru being so honest was rare. Normally he'd just assume Makoto would be able to read what he was feeling.

 

“And I thought a lot about you. About us.”

 

Makoto remained silent, his heart thumping as he said 'us'.

 

Haru took his hands in his own, the movie running completely ignored now.

 

“Happy Birthday, Makoto...”

 

There was a pregnant pause.

 

“Haru, I--!” Makoto began but was stopped when Haru planted his lips on his.

 

Makoto felt like a million fireworks were set off inside him as the shock settled in. Haruka Nanase was kissing _him._ He'd been gone so long and Makoto had missed him so much but now he was back and they were _kissing_.

 

Haru pulled away and watched Makoto's dazed face.

 

“I love you, Makoto,” he whispered, unable to look the older boy in the eye.

 

“M-Me too, Haru-chan.”

 

Haru looked up at him, his beautiful eyes wide. “Makoto...”

 

“I think I've always loved you, Haru-chan,” Makoto rubbed his cheek nervously, still unable to look at Haru, “with you I was never scared. I knew you'd be right beside me. And I missed you so much and I knew I had to tell you, and I'm sorry if I'm pressuring you and I obviously don't expect anything but I'm just so happy and I don't know what to do or say--”

 

“Makoto,” Haru interrupted, “it's okay.”

 

Makoto smiled, his first full smile of the night, finally looking at Haru. “You haven't even told me not to call you Haru-chan.” 

 

Haru rolled his eyes. “Only because it's your birthday.”

 

“Thank you, Haru-chan.”

 

Haru paused. “I haven't got you anything... I forgot because of everything.”

 

Makoto laughed. “It's okay, Haru-chan. I honestly couldn't be happier right now.”

 

“Makoto?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I love you.”

 

“I love you, too, Haru-chan.” Makoto gazed at Haru softly. “Can I kiss you?”

 

Haru nodded.

 

Makoto leaned in, his hand caressing Haru's cheek, his other holding his hand still. He pressed his lips against Haru and moaned softly as Haru nipped at his lip. Haru almost jolted in surprise when he felt Makoto's tongue lick his lips but granted him entrance, opening his mouth and revelling in the taste of Makoto, the feel of Makoto, knowing that he felt the same way.

 

Nothing could be more perfect.


End file.
